Dear Friends,
We were all surprised. We expected more from a
company that waves its ‘progressive’ and ‘socially
responsible’ flag so high and so brightly.
When SHARK discovered that Starbucks had
sponsored the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo—one of
the most appalling rodeos that SHARK has
documented—we could attribute it to a momentary
lack in judgment by the company’s management.
Boy, were we wrong.
The lies just keep coming. When SHARK initially
contacted Starbucks about the matter of the
Cheyenne Frontier Days’ ad, Starbucks insinuated
that we were mistaken. They said didn’t know
anything about such an ad, and that we were
probably wrong. Consumers who called were told by
Starbucks, “No, we don’t sponsor sporting events.”
So, SHARK showed them the ad. After a bit of
balking, Starbucks spun their story to say they are
proud to support local “festivals” and that the ad
only cost $250
While we all know there is nothing “sporting” about
rodeo, Starbucks made that misleading statement to
imply that they do not sponsor rodeo-related events
without specifically stating that. They didn’t want to
get caught in a lie. Starbucks wanted everyone to
believe that the Cheyenne Frontier Days support was
an isolated incident. In fact, when SHARK further
discovered that Starbucks is a sponsor of Miss Rodeo Washington,
Starbucks again said they didn’t know
anything about it and refused comment.
Now, we are really seeing how deep the deception
goes. SHARK learned this week that Starbucks was
not only a Gold Spur Sponsor at the Belton
Rodeo in
Texas, but also sponsored last week’s American
Royal
rodeo in Kansas City, Missouri. Starbucks must
really be taking us for fools and is hanging tight to
the belief that their big green flag will distract
everyone.
The American Royal is a rodeo
that SHARK has
investigated and documented for the last two years.
We have seen this event to be one of the most
abusive and malicious rodeos around. How many
more Starbucks rodeo sponsorships will we dig
up? Who knows--and Starbucks isn’t talking.
The Belton PRCA Rodeo in Texas gave a very
telling ‘thank you’ to all of their sponsors, including
Starbucks, saying, “It is because of you that we
are
able to continue this event that impacts everyone’s
heart and pocket books in this community.”
Does
Starbucks dare to claim that their company dollars
are not subsidizing this animal-abusing industry?
Look no further than the rodeos themselves, which
say again in Belton, “Thank you for your
continuous
support in keeping the 80-year Rodeo tradition
alive.”
There it is folks, from the mouths of the Rodeo
Mafia: their corporate sponsors keep rodeo alive.
Dead steer. Dead calves. Dead horses. But, rodeo
ALIVE.
Please, continue telling Starbucks to stop
supporting
the shameful rodeo industry! If you were one of
those that have been lied to by Starbucks about
their involvement, call back and demand to have
these newly discovered sponsorships addressed. Let
them know that people are no longer looking up at
the pretty flag. We've seen the pile of...crap at the
bottom of their flagpole.
Information to contact Starbucks, a downloadable
flyer, and a petition link, can all be found at:
www.BuckStar
bucks.com.
